Tamara Adlin – Redefining Innovation through UX Insights (Part 2)
12/17/24 • 27 min
In the second part of their conversation on Brave UX, Brendan furthers his conversation with Tamara Adlin, President of Adlin Inc. Tamara shares her journey of overcoming challenges like sexism and ageism in the tech space, advocating for user-centered design amidst a disconnect with Web 3 teams. They discuss the misconceptions around venture capital and the need to balance data-driven decisions and intuitive design. Plus, Tamara offers valuable job-seeking advice through her involvement with the "Never Search Alone" initiative, emphasizing a user-centric approach. Tune in for insights on innovation, adaptability, and creating meaningful connections in today’s fast-paced tech landscape!
Highlights include:
- 00:00 - Introduction to Web 3 and Blockchain
- 03:15 - Tamara’s Reluctance to Engage with Web 3
- 08:00 - The 18-Month Confidence Knock
- 12:45 - Disconnect Between UX and Web 3 Mindsets
- 19:30 - Misconceptions About Funding and Success
- 24:00 - The Balance of Data and Intuition in Innovation
- 30:15 - Involvement with the "Never Search Alone" Initiative
- 35:50 - Crafting an Effective Elevator Pitch
Who is Tamara Adlin
Tamara Adlin is a seasoned UX consultant with over 25 years of experience helping companies create better products. A former UX leader at Amazon, Tamara has worked with top tech enterprises, specializing in startups and Web3 projects for the past 20 years. She co-authored The Persona Lifecycle books and developed the "Executive Alignment in Five Conversations" framework, which helps teams refocus on user needs and improve product outcomes. With expertise in product strategy, UX diagnostics, and leadership alignment, Tamara’s approach drives rapid improvements and long-term success for companies navigating disruptive technologies like blockchain and AI.
"I like to use the metaphor of a 'tornado' to describe the chaos that ensues when executive opinions change rapidly. One moment, you’re moving forward, and the next, everything is flipped upside down. It’s crucial to understand those stakeholder assumptions upfront rather than letting the storm dictate the direction of your project." Tamara Adlin
Find Tamara Here
Subscribe to Brave UX
Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).
Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!
Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:
In the second part of their conversation on Brave UX, Brendan furthers his conversation with Tamara Adlin, President of Adlin Inc. Tamara shares her journey of overcoming challenges like sexism and ageism in the tech space, advocating for user-centered design amidst a disconnect with Web 3 teams. They discuss the misconceptions around venture capital and the need to balance data-driven decisions and intuitive design. Plus, Tamara offers valuable job-seeking advice through her involvement with the "Never Search Alone" initiative, emphasizing a user-centric approach. Tune in for insights on innovation, adaptability, and creating meaningful connections in today’s fast-paced tech landscape!
Highlights include:
- 00:00 - Introduction to Web 3 and Blockchain
- 03:15 - Tamara’s Reluctance to Engage with Web 3
- 08:00 - The 18-Month Confidence Knock
- 12:45 - Disconnect Between UX and Web 3 Mindsets
- 19:30 - Misconceptions About Funding and Success
- 24:00 - The Balance of Data and Intuition in Innovation
- 30:15 - Involvement with the "Never Search Alone" Initiative
- 35:50 - Crafting an Effective Elevator Pitch
Who is Tamara Adlin
Tamara Adlin is a seasoned UX consultant with over 25 years of experience helping companies create better products. A former UX leader at Amazon, Tamara has worked with top tech enterprises, specializing in startups and Web3 projects for the past 20 years. She co-authored The Persona Lifecycle books and developed the "Executive Alignment in Five Conversations" framework, which helps teams refocus on user needs and improve product outcomes. With expertise in product strategy, UX diagnostics, and leadership alignment, Tamara’s approach drives rapid improvements and long-term success for companies navigating disruptive technologies like blockchain and AI.
"I like to use the metaphor of a 'tornado' to describe the chaos that ensues when executive opinions change rapidly. One moment, you’re moving forward, and the next, everything is flipped upside down. It’s crucial to understand those stakeholder assumptions upfront rather than letting the storm dictate the direction of your project." Tamara Adlin
Find Tamara Here
Subscribe to Brave UX
Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).
Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!
Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:
Previous Episode
Tamara Adlin – Navigating Executive Misalignment in UX (Part 1)
In the first of a two-part episode of Brave UX, Brendan Jarvis interviews Tamara Adlin, President of Adlin Inc. Tamara Adlin is a thought leader and a seasoned UX consultant with over 25 years of experience helping companies create better products. Tamara reflects on her time at Amazon, lessons from leadership, and her pioneering work with personas. She highlights how executive misalignment can derail projects, emphasizing that personas alone can’t fix underlying communication issues. Tamara introduces her “Executive Alignment in Five Conversations” methodology, a framework designed to align teams and ensure project success. The conversation also touches on the importance of ongoing alignment and how well-crafted personas can be transformative when supported by clear, cohesive leadership.
Highlights include:
- 00:00 - Introduction and Background
- 05:30 - Tamara’s Journey into Animal Rescue
- 12:15 - The Persona Life Cycle Books
- 18:45 - Alignment Insights from Amazon
- 26:00 - The Importance of a Support System
- 32:30 - Diversity in Tech
- 40:15 - The Challenges of Executive Misalignment
- 46:00 - Executive Alignment in Five Conversations
- 55:30 - Case Study: Zillow
- 1:02:15 - Conclusion and Teaser for Part Two
Who is Tamara Adlin
Tamara Adlin is a seasoned UX consultant with over 25 years of experience helping companies create better products. A former UX leader at Amazon, Tamara has worked with top tech enterprises, specializing in startups and Web3 projects for the past 20 years. She co-authored The Persona Lifecycle books and developed the "Executive Alignment in Five Conversations" framework, which helps teams refocus on user needs and improve product outcomes. With expertise in product strategy, UX diagnostics, and leadership alignment, Tamara’s approach drives rapid improvements and long-term success for companies navigating disruptive technologies like blockchain and AI.
"I like to use the metaphor of a 'tornado' to describe the chaos that ensues when executive opinions change rapidly. One moment, you’re moving forward, and the next, everything is flipped upside down. It’s crucial to understand those stakeholder assumptions upfront rather than letting the storm dictate the direction of your project." Tamara Adlin
Find Tamara Here
Subscribe to Brave UX
Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).
Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!
Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:
Next Episode
Felix Lee - Democratising Mentorship with ADPList
Felix Lee shares how ADPList is democratising mentorship, the lessons he’s learned from failure and resilience, and why clarity beats cleverness in design.
Highlights include:
- 03:58 - What parallels can you draw between your athletic career and leading ADPList?
- 09:42 - What is the fear you most often contend with as a young founder?
- 13:57 - What is the broader vision for ADPList beyond design?
- 15:19 - Why is it important for ADPList to be seen as a community rather than just a platform?
- 32:28 - How do you know if you are solving the right problem at ADPList?
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Who is Felix Lee?
Felix is the co-founder and CEO of ADPList, a global mentorship platform connecting expert designers, technologists, and professionals across more than 150 countries. With over 27,000 mentors, ADPList has made possible an incredible 100 million minutes of mentorship annually.
In just three years, Felix has raised $1.3 million in capital, built a community of 120,000 LinkedIn followers, and launched the world’s largest 24-hour design super-conference. Beyond design, ADPList has expanded to include product management and engineering, reflecting its mission as a human transformation company.
Felix’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. As a young founder, his resilience has been shaped by early entrepreneurial setbacks and a drive to democratise mentorship. Featured in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia List and Tatler Asia’s Gen-T List, Felix continues to inspire a global community with his clear and ambitious leadership style.
Find Felix here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felixleezd/
Website: https://adplist.org/
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Subscribe to Brave UX
Liked what you heard and want to hear more? Subscribe and support the show by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (or wherever you listen).
Follow us on our other social channels for more great Brave UX content!
Brendan Jarvis hosts the Show, and you can find him here:
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